The invention relates to safety devices for load lifting and lowering apparatus of the kind comprising a pair of parallel spaced apart upright guide members of hollow section along each of which travels a runner mounted on a load carrier, there being provided a cable connected to each runner to pull it upwardly along the guide member or lower it down the guide member, so as to raise or lower the load carrier. Such apparatus will hereinafter be referred to as "load lifting and lowering apparatus of the kind described". More particularly but not exclusively, the invention relates to vehicle tail lifts for raising and lowering loads at the rear end of a vehicle.
The term "cable" where used in this specification includes chains, ropes, bands and any other flexible elements suitable for use in raising and lowering a load carrier.